The Return to Normalcy
by NELLA123
Summary: After the war a small group of people return to where it all started.
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own Harry potter. All recognizable characters and location belong to J.K.R.**

Chapter 1- The return to Normalcy.

Dinner was a quiet affair, as they normally were as of late. The people gathered around to table were busy eating the food cooked by Mrs. Weasly. No one had to tell just how good her food was, doing so would be totally redundant at this point. Merlin himself would bow down, if he tasted chicken cooked by Mrs. Weasly. Neville Longbottom sat back in his hair, unable to take another bite of food. He looked around the magically extended table, at his friends. No, Neville thought. "Friends" wasn't the right word, after everything that they when though it felt slight offensive. Kind of demeaning. These were the people who opened up their home for him, after the war had taken everything from him. Let him live in here, without expecting so much as a thankyou from him. Family, now thats' more like it. Neville looked around at his family, most of whom were still stuffing their face with Mrs. Weasley's food. Most noticeably Ron, whose face looked more like an landfill than a face. None of it seemed to bother him in the slightest, much to Hermione's displeasure. She tried reprimanding Ron on his appearance, but Ron wasn't having any of it. He leaned forward placing a fat wet kiss on her checks. Apparently he wasn't happy with his accuracy because seconds later he tried for her table erupted in laughter as Hermione let out a scream and began assaulting Ron with a barrage of Slaps. The sight made Neville, While he was as happy as he could be given recent events, slightly sad.

Sad over the recent death of his relationship with Luna Lovegood. Luna broke up with him almost two months ago. Luna was pretty messed up after the war, like everyone else mind you, that she withdrew from the world and began to reside more and more in her play pretend. Neville tried talking to her about this, but as soon as he was met with loud screaming and hexing. Extremely uncharacteristic for Luna. Neville was literally hexed out of her flat. Neville, being the best boyfriend he could, returned the next morning to check up on her. That was when he unfortunately learned shed was leaving the country. To this day he had no clue where she was, though he was almost absolutely sure Ginny and Hermione did. He confronted them about this one day and was only met with unconvincing blank stares. He was brought out of his inner rantings, when chairs were slid back and people stood to clear the kitchen.

"Ron, your ass!" Hermione said as they all climbed the ladder to Ron's attic room.

"And what an ass it is." Ron said as he managed to finally make it through the hole in the ground. The rest of them followed quickly behind him taking their seats on the floor. Everyone was coupled up except Neville, he didn't usually mind things like this but lately he couldn't help it. After tonight he didn't know when they would all be together again.

"So, this is it?" Neville said voicing his thoughts. "The last time we'll all be together, for a while at least." this changed the mood in the room rather quickly.

"Yea, boot camp starts tomorrow." Harry said after a short moment of silence. Harry had been accepted into the auror training program and was going- well Neville had no idea where- first thing tomorrow morning.

"I'm so excited but also sad about my internship." Ginny said, laying her head on Harry's shoulder and rubbing his back. Ginny would be starting her Live-In internship with St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, tomorrow. She would have to Stay until her internship was complete.

"Dragons should be fun." Ron stated wrapping his arm around Hermione. Charlie had volunteered Ron for a job taking care of baby dragons all the way in Romania. At first Ron was livid that he would do such a thing, but once he learned that they were all going away he changed tune quick enough. He actually couldn't wait to get started.

"I'll be writing laws and bills, starting tomorrow!" Hermione said, contrary to what you might believe, with huge amounts of excitement in her voice. She had landed herself a rotational job at the Ministry of Magic. She was already mile ahead of what a student fresh out of school would expect to get. She would spend three weeks at one job, then switch to another. Basicly until she performed every job worth doing, all while being paid handsomely. It was a pretty sweet gig, if Neville did say so himself.

"Yeah, and i'm going to return to Hogwarts." Neville said realizing, not for the first time, just how bad that sounded compared to the rest of them. But it wasn't like he had a chose in the matter. After the war the Ministry give all current and recently graduated seventh year student, the chance to repeat the year. Since that year and the year before the war had consumed the country. Another reason, though they will never admit it, was to give the recently homeless kids a place to live until they came up with a better solution. This is where Neville found himself, his grandmother was killed sometime during the war, leaving him with no sane living relative for him to fall back on. So here he was technically homeless with no future ahead of him. The Weasleys offered their home to him but he couldn't overstay his welcome any longer. He had basically been living here since the war ended. Left without any opinions Neville decided to return to hogwarts at least there he wouldn't be a burden to the Weasleys.

"Neville, you know you can stay here if you want to right?" Ginny said to him "Mum and dad wouldn't mind one bit." She finished, Ron nodded in agreement behind her. Neville just nodded his head, he has had this conversation many times. He wouldn't be telling the truth if you said he hadn't thought about it. But he could basicly hear his grandmother now, _You're a longbottom now start acting like one!_

An uncomfortable silence fall on the room, no one having the willpower to try and change the mood. It would be pointless they were all going their separate ways. After a minute longer, Neville couldn't take it anymore. He excused himself politely as he could and went to his room. Getting into bed, clothes and all. Exhausted and praying that somehow the morning didn't come.

* * *

><p>Dean Thomas laid back in his bed, gasping for air from the rigorous love making session. seconds later, a tall bronze skinned brunette flopped down next to him, looking exhausted just like Dean. From the look on her face and the sweat on her body, he figured he had done an exceptional job. Which was good news for him, he couldn't have rumors going around about his poor "Performance" in bed.<p>

"That was awesome." Said Nadia, stroking his ego like she always did after sex. "I dont think i'll be able to walk tomorrow. I better call in sick." This earned a smile and a kiss from Dean, he loved how silly she could be. He had to be honest with himself, he was a lucky guy to have found a girl like her. It took some searching but he finally found her and he wasn't letting go.

"Well you better figure something out, you're coming with me to the train right?" Dean said, placing his hand on her stomach and tracing her abs.

"Ugh, don't remind me." She said placing her hand on his stomach. "Nope, actually i've decided to kidnap you before you get on the train. You should keep your guard up, i'm not telling when i'm making my move." She added the last part with a devilish grin.

"Really now?" Dean asked, continuing to play along with her.

"Yep. I'm going to take a shower now, you should probably think of a plan." She said before getting out of bed and walking to out the door. Dean couldn't help but look at her ass, as she left the room. She had a flawless body, he could stare at it for hours without getting bored. Shortly after Nadia left, he heard water running signaling that she was in the shower. So there was Dean, alone and naked in his bedroom. To be honest he was about to "take care" of himself, but decided not to. Knowing Nadia, once she was back she would be ready for a round two. So instead of touching himself, he thought about returning to Hogwarts.

He had been on the fence about it for the longest time. When he first heard about the Ministry, offering people the opportunity to retake there last year; he thought is was the dumbest shit he ever heard. Who in their right mind would volunteer to redo a year, at least until he realized he never actually finished his last year. Instead he was on the run for most of it. And while most students did the smart thing and take the degree that was issued to them, whether they earned it or not. Like Nadia and Seamus. Dean had no choice to return, there wasn't many job opportunities without an degree from the place. So while he was probably be the only returning student this year, his best friend was going to be in Ireland trying out for the Ireland's Shooting Comets (though Dean doubted he would get the spot, but wished him luck all the same). And while he was studying how to perform wandless magic, something the war had taught him already, the girl of his dreams would be out here all by herself. This thought made him frown. Not because he feared she'd cheat on him, no he knew she would never do that. He feared for her safety, not all the remaining death eaters had been caught. And as of late they've taken to hurting people even remotely connected to Harry and anyone connected to said person. Her Slytherin, pureblood status be damned.

Dean had one run in with a particularly nasty Death Eater about a month ago. He had been visiting George's joke shop in Diagon Alley, before he could even get halfway to the place, hexes began wheezing inches past his face. Dean was lucky enough to have learned a little something from his time in hiding or he would have been a goner. That fight had lasted a while and only ended when Dean managed a well timed _Sectumsempra _to his throat. To make things worse, Dean had made the headlines of the Daily Prophet for a while after. If he wasn't on their shit list before, he sure as hell was now.

Dean heard the water cut off, in the bathroom next door. Shortly after Nadia came walking back into the room, completely naked but otherwise completely dry.

"Baby..." Nadia said biting her lower lip and batting her eyelashes. Dean just rolled his eyes, patting the empty spot next to him. Nadia took this as permission to jump on him, kissing him roughly and they resumed where that left off earlier.

When they were finished it was well into the night, Dean sat up with his back against the head broad. Nadia quickly snuggled into his chest, they said like this for a little while longer.

"I'm going to miss this." Dean whispered kissing her on the top of the head.

"What, me or the sex?" Nadia said smiling up at him.

"You idiot." Dean said playfully, poking her in the stomach causing her to giggle. He liked the sound of it so he did it again.

"I'll miss you too, you big baby." She said snuggling closer into him. No one talked for a while after that and eventually Nadia's breathing became deep and steady. Dean looked down at his sleeping girlfriend, before getting out of his bed heading to his bathroom. Finally about to take a shower.

Once he was out of the shower he got dressed, not even trying to get any sleep. With only a few hours before morning he knew it to be pointless, instead he began packing what he would need for his return to Hogwarts.

* * *

><p>It was relatively quiet in the hole in the wall, Draco currently called home. The only thing that could be heard was the loud breaking of glass or whatever was in Draco's immediate vicinity.<p>

After a painful day of being swarmed by the press wherever he went, he had returned home ready to curse any and everyone he saw. To make matters worse he had just read today paper. The Prophet has had an almost religious obsession with the Malfoy family, ever since the end of the war. And lately they've come up with some very creative ways of slandering his family's name. Though Draco himself has managed to escape brunt of the paper's wrath, having been acquitted of all charges, his parents were left in the wind. Both were sentenced to Azkaban after the war, awaiting trials against humanity. His father had been tried first, he was found guilty on all charges. His father had received the Dementor's kiss a couple of weeks ago. That had actually brought a smile to Draco's face. Finally that man had got what was coming to him, Merlin knows he deserved much more than what he got. As you can imagine the Prophet had a field day with this, running headlines such as "Everyone Rejoice Only One More Wretch Left" or "The Head of the snake has been savered".

What got him in such a bad mood however, was today's headline "The Body Will Soon Rot." With the subheading explaining that his mother's trail has been pushed ahead of schedule, she was to be tried early next year. Followed by a full page picture of his mother, chained to her cell at Azkaban. Her face was swollen, body malnourished, and her eyes were starting to glaze over. However, she kept her head held high starring the camera straight on. Draco felt an enormous sense of pride swell up inside of him, but it didn't last long enough it was soon replaced with dread. She doesn't deserve this, Draco thought. Her only crime was not being strong enough to leave the man she loved.

"What is wrong with Master?" Rose the house elf asked, peeking around the door.

"Nothing Rose." Draco said to the house elf, who he released from bonage a while ago. She stayed in the house off her own free will.

"Master has a big day planned tomorrow, he should get some rest." The tiny elf said before leaving.

Damn it, with everything that was happening Draco completely forgot about he was returning to Hogwarts. It seemed like a stupid idea given what he just found about his mother. To him it seemed more important for him to fight for his mother's appeal. Deep down he knew he couldn't save her from life imprisonment but he could probably get her out of the Dementor's kiss. Despite the fact the he currently lived in a hole, Draco still had an enormously huge amount of money at his disposal, thanks to his bastard of a father and his will. Helping his mother seemed like the least he could do.

"So it decided then." Draco said to himself. "I'll stay here and help my mother."

BANG!

Just as he came to this conclusion, a brick flew through his window. In that instant Draco was brought back to why he wanted to return to Hogwarts in the fight place. The world hated him. Voices could be heard shouting outside his door, looking out the window he a mob of civilians and media press outside his house. Despite the fact that it was night outside. This is why he wanted to return to Hogwarts, theses lunatics wouldn't be able to get to him there. He had thought that secretly moving would help him stay hidden but he was wrong. Draco went to his bedroom to find a coat, he knew from experience there was really only one way to get them to leave.

"Smile Draco." He said darkly as he turned the knob on his front door, about to brave the storm.

When he stepped outside the screaming grow ten times louder. There were even a couple of people who tried to rush towards him but they were retrained by their fellow lunatics. Draco discreetly put his hands behind his back and wandlessly cast an invisible field around him. Just incase someone pulled out a wand and tried to take his life.

"Please get from in front of my home." Draco told the ever growing mob. His words were met with bricks. The bricks turned to dust when they crashed into his charm. The inability to injure Draco, only incited the mob further.

"Mr. Malfoy sir, what do you make of the news of you mother impending trial." The reporter actually had the gall to say this with a smile on his face. Draco should have know this is what they wanted. To see the look on his face when he learned of his mother's fate. Draco repeated his previous statement and headed back inside his house. As soon as he stepped inside his house, a hail of bricks came through his windows. He had to get away from this.

"Rose pack a my things." Yelled loud enough for the house elf to hear. "Please." he added as an afterthought.

He'll have to help his mother from inside of Hogwarts.

Draco quickly fixed his window and casted a silencing charm on them, because he knew there was a good chance they still had a few more bricks yet to be thrown. Then he went to his bedroom and got undressed.

Draco had been laying awake in bed for about an hour now, in silence. He couldn't bring himself to fall asleep. He was too busy thinking about returning to the one place where he was sure just about everyone would hate him. But he also couldn't stop thinking about the returning to the one place he could call home.

* * *

><p>Please let me know what you thing about the story so far, specifically the reasons I gave for the characters returning to school again.<p>

P.S- To anyone who has been reading my other stories, you really should if you haven't, they are all suspended until...i don't know when. Some character will return in this series however, but in name and appearance only. But i really want to just focus on this story for the time being. That being said, first semester is coming to a close and i have a few weeks off so i should be able to update often enough.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Draco sat as still as humanly possible, on one of the sofas in the common room sat aside for the returning students. Across from him stood a huge crowd of most of the returning students, each sporting a glare or frown aimed in his direction. Draco expected has much, considering he or his family has probably wronged them in someway or another. Draco quickly surveyed the faces across from him. Some of them were vaguely familiar, he was sure he'd seen them somewhere. Whether it was in direct contact or just passing in the hallways, he could not say. Among the faces he did recognize, a few were fellow Slytherins.

"So anyone do anything interesting this summer. Merlin knows I didn't?" Draco said, throwing his feet up on the sofa.

"What the fuck are you doing here, Draco?" Some girl he didn't recognize asked him.

"And who are you, sweetie?" Draco asked, with a crooked smile.

"Fuck you." She said, getting redder in the face.

"Its has been a while, i'll guess you'll do." Draco said, with a genuine smile on his face. He had spent most of his time trying to stay out of the media, that he forgot how much fun it was to argue with someone. The girl, whose name he still didn't know, began clutching his fist and pacing back and forth. Judging by the growing tension in the room, Draco knew he only had so many more smart-ass remarks left, before things took a turn for the worst.

The girl took a step toward Draco, fists clenched.

"Relax beautiful, i'm just playing." Draco said, standing up from the sofa. "Look I know you weren't expecting me to be here but I am. And i'm staying, so either get over it or don't. Makes no difference to me." Draco finished looking the mob dead on. After a couple of minutes, they began to disperse from the area. Most going up the stairs the their rooms, the rest lounging around the common room.

Draco went back to what he was doing before being rudely interrupted by the other students. Which was doing absolutely nothing, and he had to admit it felt amazing. Before returning to Hogwarts he was plagued with worrying about his mother or what new challengers he personally would have to face for that given day. If this year was going to be anything like it was before the war the only thing he would have to worry about it passing Study of Ancient Runes.

"You're the last person I expected to have returned, to even be allowed to return if i'm being honest." Draco groaned loudly, opening his eyes to see who was trying to start a conversation with him. Staring back at Draco was a boy with light blue hair, Draco instantly recognized who he was and he couldn't help the smile that grow on his face.

"I fucking bet." Draco said straightening himself out and stretching out his hand for the blue haired man, Connor, to shake. Which he did. Connor was one of the few people who Draco had any amount of respect for in the Slytherin house. Though they weren't exactly friends, Him and Connor were constantly at odds with each other. Whether it was in who had the best grade, most house points, or who was able to break the most girls hearts. Draco being the winner of the latter challenge.

They quickly fell into conversation, mostly talking about what they have been up to since the war. It was mostly about childish things, but Draco was sure to send a glare Connor's way when he tried to bring up his mother or father. Draco wasn't stupid, he knew that there was something behind what Connor was doing. He didn't know what exactly but he wasn't going to give away anything relating to his mother or her case. Connor backed down and changed the subject back to miscellaneous things. Just like with arguing with people, Draco noticed just how much he had messed talking to someone other than an house elf.

"Then we ended up just getting away from the muggle police." Connor finished with a laugh, Draco made sure to chuckle even though he wasn't paying attention. He had turned his attention to the other return students. Most of which were upstairs apart from himself, Connor, to his surprise Dean Thomas and Neville Longbottom and about six other students.

Dean and Neville were seating at a table across the room from them. From what Draco could put together, whatever they were talking about must have been pretty interesting. If by the way Dean was jumping around was anything to go off of.

"What is the Mudblood talking about?" Connor asked, following Draco's gaze. Draco felt a ping of discomfort at the word "Mudblood" but didn't let is show. Instead he just shook his and turned back to Connor.

"Fancy a challenge?" Draco asked, mainly because he was getting bored of listening to Connor ramble on about his summer and because he knew his narcissistic sense of pride wouldn't allow him to say no to Draco. Like expected he jumped on to the idea, asking what exactly they would have to do.

"Do you remember what we did in third year?" Draco said raising his eyebrow.

Connor let of a bark of a laugh "Oh you're mad, you want us to die!" Draco laughed with him remembering all too well what happened years ago. Sometime in their third year Connor had the genius idea of challenging Draco to sleeping with the one girl that hated them the most. This was right around the time a rumor was going around that Connor and Draco were the best looking kids in school (Potter was right behind them, to Draco's displassure). For surely the man who was able to win over the girl who hated him the most would be the best man. Draco accepted his challenge despite the fact that both boys were far too young to be trying to have sex with anybody. Long story short, neither boy was able to complete the challenge. Both having met a horrible outcome that ended in extreme pain. Draco felt it was time for them to settle the score and he wanted his life to somewhat go back to normal and this is what normal was to him. Talking with frenemies and trying to pick up girls.

"If you're having second thoughts I understand." Draco said, holding up his hands.

"Not a chance. I doubt Britney and Amy will be returning to this hell hole, so we should pick the girls for each other." He said looking around at the remaining students in the common room. Until his eyes landed on someone with a smile on his face. Draco followed his gaze until it too landed on the girl but there was no smile on his face. Draco eyes landed on the one person who probably hated him the most in the whole school and he still didn't even know her name. "Her."

"Fine." Draco said playing it off "Then I pick her friend for you." He continued pointing at the girl next to her.

"Fair enough." Connor said standing up and making his way toward the girls. Draco waited a couples seconds before he too made his way over to them.

"How's it going ladies?" Connor said placing his hand on his girls shoulder.

"What do you what Connor?"

Great they fucking know each other.

"Always a pleasure seeing you too, Taylor." he said getting bolder and moving his hand to her chin. "I wanted to come over and introduce Draco to this lovely girl." He said motioning to the girl next to Taylor. Draco noticed the way Connor worded his sentence, making it so he would still have to ask for her name. Draco flashed her a smile, before taking his seat next to her. He was face to face with her and he could tell that she wasn't impressed at all. Seating face to face with her this was the first time he was noticing just how painfully beautiful she really was. She had long dark hair, most of which fell well below her shoulders and what didn't framed her sharp facial features perfectly. She had silver toned eyes that were more like windows to her soul, Draco found it hard to look away. Her lips were round and plump and her body was the definition of curvy.

"I don't believe I caught your na-"

"I going to head up stairs." she said to her friend, completely ignoring Draco and leaving the common room. Taylor mumbled a reply too busy tongue dancing with Connor to do anything else. Connor gave Draco a "I win" glance before turning his attention back to Taylor.

Draco felt a mixture of emotions as he made his way toward his room. Some of which he couldn't quite place. Anger was the most recognizable one, never in his life had Draco be so completely ignored by a girl. And it was fucking with his ego massively. However, along with that there was a growing sense of want building inside of him. He wanted this girl more that he ever wanted anyone in his life. He knew it was more of a trill of the hunt type attraction but he didn't care he wanted to conquer his prey. He wanted to be inside of her.

Which was evident by the growing bulge in his pants. laying in his bed about to drift off to sleep for what felt like the first time in days, Draco made up his mind.

This girl, whatever her fucking name was, was going to be his.


End file.
